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What Happens When You Are Hit by a Car at an Intersection

You are driving carefully, planning on getting to your destination without incident when suddenly, out of nowhere, you are hit by another car at an intersection. Perhaps the other driver didn’t see that you were at a four-way stop and ignored the stop sign.

Maybe someone missed the red light. Maybe you didn’t see the stop sign in the road. Whatever caused the accident, the results are almost always the same.

You are not only faced with a damaged car, but are faced with severe pain and suffering, time missed from work, and medical treatments that cause your bills and expenses to quickly spiral out of control.

Fortunately, when such a disaster occurs, there may be legal options to help you deal with the fallout after such an incident occurs.

Injuries Common to Drivers and Passengers When Hit in a Car at an Intersection

When someone is in a car at an intersection and is hit by another vehicle, there are injuries that are commonly associated with such an accident. The most common injuries include whiplash, bruising, and soft tissue damage.

More severe injuries can include fractures and broken bones, head injuries, back injuries, and even spinal cord injuries. The more serious the injury, the more medical treatment will be necessary to treat the injuries and more time will be lost from work due to the accident.

Who’s At Fault When You’re Hit at an Intersection

Getting hit at an intersection is one of the scariest moments of your life. You may be wondering who’s at fault after you’re involved in an auto accident in an intersection. When you’re hit at an intersection, the driver who’s at fault for the crash will be the one who drove negligently. For example, if another driver failed to yield to oncoming traffic while turning left and t-boned your vehicle, that driver would be at fault for the crash at the intersection.

Many intersections have cameras recording 24-7, so you may have video evidence proving you’re not at fault when you’re hit at an intersection. You can also speak with a personal injury lawyer to help determine if you’re eligible for a claim against the other driver’s insurance.

Determining Fault

When you are hit in a car at an intersection it is crucial that fault is determined at the time of the accident. There are a number of ways one can be hit in a car at an intersection. Someone coming from the oncoming left or right lane may miss a red light or a stop sign.

Someone driving behind you may fail to stop at the turn and rear end you. You may turn without the right of way and get hit by a car in the process. Who is at fault will determine the outcome of what happens after the accident.

It is crucial that you determine who is at fault as soon as possible and get proof of such fault, such as police reports and witness statements.

Different Types of Fault

There are different types of fault when being hit in a car at an intersection. For example, if someone’s brakes fail they may be at fault, but it does not mean they were careless in driving.

On the other hand, someone who was reading a text and rear ended you at the intersection or someone who wasn’t paying attention to the light and hit you while making a turn is at fault for an entirely different reason and negligence comes into play.

What To Do If You’ve Been Hit at an Intersection

If you have been hit at an intersection, as mentioned above, one of the first things you need to do is determine fault. If the other driver was at fault, you will want his or her contact information and insurance information. You will need to call his or her insurance company to report the accident and file a claim.

He or she will ensure the claim is filed properly with the insurance agency and will ensure that proof of fault is provided and that you receive all of the compensation you may be entitled to, including:

Damages for damage to your vehicle

Medical bills

Damages for lost wages due to time missed from work

Damages for pain and suffering

If you deal with the insurance company directly, you may not get all of the damages you are entitled to as it is in their best interests to pay you as little as possible.

If you were the driver at fault, you may want to consider a defense attorney, as you may be liable for damages that your insurance provider does not cover.

As such, you will want an attorney to represent you in court to help prove that you were not at fault due to negligence, which could result in higher damages than if you were at fault due to reasons beyond your control.

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